Humans detect a location of a sound through differences in the phase and frequency of sound waves that are received simultaneously by each ear. Many electronic voice communications are monaural, and thus there is no ability for a listener to distinguish a particular location, or position, of a voice in relation to their own perspective. This is apparent, for example, in a voice conference where a listener may hear multiple individuals speaking concurrently, and to the listener, each individual sounds as if they are at the same location. Studies have shown it is difficult for the human brain to assimilate multiple concurrent conversations in a monaural environment.
Use of stereo headsets or multiple speakers in conjunction with multi-channel audio signals enables different audio signals to be received by each ear. Multi-channel sound is used in certain applications, such as computer gaming environments and virtual reality environments, to enable a participant to distinguish a general location of sounds occurring during participation in the environment.
Commercial enterprises frequently use contact centers to provide information, such as technical support information, to customers. A caller may dial a telephone number associated with a manufacturer of a product, answer certain questions posed by an interactive voice response system, and then be routed to a particular contact center agent based on the caller's answers. The contact center agent begins a dialog with the caller. During the course of the transaction, the contact center agent may find it necessary to engage other individuals to resolve the caller's particular issue. For example, the contact center agent may feel compelled to engage a contact center supervisor, one or more subject matter experts, another contact center agent that has encountered similar issues, and the like. Because the caller's voice signals and those of the other individuals are typically monaural, connecting all of the participants together in a single conference, even if possible, may make it difficult for the contact center agent to manage because each of the participants sound as if they are at the same location. One way to prevent this difficulty is for the contact center agent to put the caller on ‘hold’ while engaging the other individuals in one or more separate conversations. However, customers frequently object to being placed on hold during a telephone call. Moreover, the caller may have additional data that may be useful to the contact center agent and the other individuals engaged by the contact center agent while they are discussing the issue. Thus, it would be desirable if the contact center agent could join some or all of the participants together in a conference, and otherwise control the communication interactions between the participants, as well as easily determine who is speaking based on a unique aural position of each individual's voice. It would also be desirable if the contact center agent could have private conversations with, or listen to input being privately provided to the contact center agent from other resources, while still being able to hear the caller. Thus, it would be desirable in a number of different ways if a contact center agent could aurally position the voice signals of participants in a contact center transaction at desired aural positions with respect to the contact center agent.